The French Air Force has taken delivery of the first of two ACJs it ordered in 2001. The handover ceremony took place at the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse, France.

The ACJs will be used for the transport of government officials. The ACJs can seat around 50 passengers and have a range of up to 10,000 kilometres.

The aircraft will be the first fly-by-wire French Air Force civilian aircraft. Airbus was chosen as the result of a comprehensive competitive tender as laid out in the ‘Code des Marchés Publics’ which governs purchasing by the French government. The ACJ was chosen because it offered the best combination of quality, comfort and price.

The French Air Force, on behalf of the French State, is the second government organisation in Europe to select the ACJ, two being already in service with the Italian government. The State of Venezuela has also recently ordered an ACJ.